Common

Performer

The 13th team at the 2017 Creative Arts Ball.

Robert Glasper and Common accept their award at the 2017 Creative Arts Emmys.

Common on the red carpet at the 2017 Creative Arts Emmys.

Common signs the event poster at An Evening with Norman Lear at the Montalban Theater in Hollywood.

Common and Toure on the red carpet at An Evening with Norman Lear at the Montalban Theater in Hollywood.

D-Nice, Russell Simmons and Common on the red carpet at An Evening with Norman Lear at the Montalban Theater in Hollywood.

Kenya Barris greets Common on the red carpet at An Evening with Norman Lear at the Montalban Theater in Hollywood.

Norman Lear and Common onstage at An Evening with Norman Lear at the Montalban Theater in Hollywood.

Common greets Norman and Lyn Lear on the red carpet at An Evening with Norman Lear at the Montalban Theater in Hollywood.

Toure and Common onstage at An Evening with Norman Lear at the Montalban Theater in Hollywood.

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Common

Performer

Birthday

March 13

Birthplace

Chicago, Illinois

Common is an American rapper, actor, writer, philanthropist, and activist.

Common debuted in 1992 with the album Can I Borrow a Dollar? and maintained an underground following into the late 1990s, after which he gained mainstream success through his work with the Soulquarians.

In 2003, he won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Song for the Erykah Badu single "Love of My Life". His 2005 album Be was also a commercial success and was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 2006 Grammy Awards. Common received his second Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for "Southside" (featuring Kanye West), from his 2007 album Finding Forever. His best-of album, Thisisme Then: The Best of Common, was released in late 2007. In 2011, Common launched Think Common Entertainment, his own record label imprint, having previously released music under various other labels including Relativity, Geffen, and GOOD Music.

Common won the 2015 Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song and the Academy Award for Best Original Song, for his song "Glory" from the 2014 film Selma, in which he co-starred as Civil Rights Movement leader James Bevel. Common's acting career also includes roles in the films Smokin' Aces, Street Kings, American Gangster, Wanted, Terminator Salvation, Date Night, Just Wright, Happy Feet Two, New Year's Eve, Run All Night, Being Charlie, Rex, John Wick: Chapter 2 and Smallfoot. He also narrated the documentary Bouncing Cats, about one man's efforts to improve the lives of children in Uganda through hip-hop/b-boy culture.